To Live the Simple Life
by Kitty15
Summary: What if someone had a problem with Dylan's athority and what if that person just up and left? How would there life and the lives of the crew be changed?
1. Chapter One

"You don't appreciate everything I do around here!" The enraged, young, engineer yelled up at his towering captain.  
  
"Well, if you don't think you're appreciated, then leave!" The captain yelled back, matching the young man's volume.  
  
"Fine! I will!" The engineer yelled back. Leaving an angry captain and four shocked friends behind, Seamus Harper stormed out of the Andromeda Ascendant's command deck, never to return.  
  
Two and a half years later:  
  
"Honey, I'm home!" Seamus Harper called as he walked through the door of his two-story home.  
  
"Hey sweetie!" His lovely wife Reily said coming out of their kitchen. She was short with shoulder length blonde hair. Her creamy white skin glistened in sunlight that was shining through the window. She smiled as she went over and hugged him, "Your home early."  
  
"Yeah. Ryan told me to go home and spend some quality time with my beautiful new wife." He explained loosening his grip slightly, but not letting go of her completely.  
  
"Jeeze, I can't believe we've been married a whole month already. But I don't think Ryan let you come him just to be with me." She settled into his arms as she said this.  
  
"Actually, his exact words were, go get your wife knocked up, but I thought that was a little too direct." He explained, moving his hands suggestively.  
  
"Yeah, sounds like Ryan. He's just itchin' for little nieces and nephews. But back to his statement, I don't think it's too direct." She kissed him passionately.  
  
"Mmm, were you cooking something?" He asked, gently pulling his lips away from hers.  
  
"No, I was doing some work at the bar." She said as she ran her hands up the frond of his shirt and kissed his neck tenderly.  
  
"So, I guess if I borrow you for a few hours, it won't matter?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
Shrugging and nodding quickly, he literally swept her off her feet and carried her to bed.  
  
On the Andromeda:  
  
"So Dylan, what's up?" Beka asked from her seat. He had called her, Trance, Rommie, and Tyr down to his office.  
  
"I've called you all down here to tell you that I just received a message from Harper. It's addressed to all of us so I haven't viewed it yet." Dylan told them calmly.  
  
"Well play it!" Trance exclaimed when no one said anything.  
  
"It's okay Trance, calm down." Beka said having Trance sit next to her.  
  
Dylan smiled and nodded to Rommie. Almost immediately Harper's face filled the screen on the wall.  
  
"Hi guys." He said with a smile, "Uh, I know it's been almost two years since Dylan and I had our big fight. Well, this message probably won't get to you guys until after it happens and if you do get it you just might not want to come. So, I know Tyr's probably standing in the back of the room going "Get on with it boy!" So I will. One week from today, as in when I sent this, I'm gonna be getting married. Her name's Reily; she's smart, funny, sweet, kind, generous, and absolutely the most beautiful woman in the universe, besides you Rommie. Um, I've gotta go, but I hope to see you guys soon. I miss you."  
  
With that the screen went black.  
  
"Rommie, how old is this message?" Beka asked as soon as the message was over.  
  
"Over a month." Rommie responded sadly.  
  
"Rommie, set a course for Infinity Atoll." Dylan commanded.  
  
"Aye." She replied.  
  
"Infinity?" Tyr asked.  
  
"It's where Harper's message came from." Rommie told him, "Beka, we're approaching the slipstream portal."  
  
"I'm on my way." Beka said, flashing a quick smile at Dylan, she dashed out the door. Tyr walked out the door after her to do only God knows what.  
  
"Dylan?"  
  
"Yes Trance?"  
  
"Maybe we should tell Harper we're coming."  
  
"I couldn't agree more. Rommie, would you please?"  
  
"Of course Dylan." Rommie replied and her main A.I. sent the transmition.  
  
"Shay?" Reily asked as she lay in bed with one arm wrapped around his waist and as she gently kissed his shoulder blades (he was laying with his back to her).  
  
"Yeah?" He asked smiling to himself.  
  
"Are you asleep?"  
  
"Deeply."  
  
"Very funny."  
  
"I know. What'd yah need?" He asked rolling over in bed to face her and gently wrapping his arms around her.  
  
"I love you." She said quietly as she looked into his eyes.  
  
"I know. I love you too." He whispered, lightly stroking the curve in her waist. "All you wanted to say was I love you?"  
  
"Well," She began as she snuggled closer to him, "Why is it so cold in here?" She asked as her teeth began to chatter. He just smiled at her and then pulled a blanket over them both.  
  
"Better?" He asked as she moved a bit closer, only this time, not just for warmth.  
  
"Yeah. Um, you once told me about your life before you met me, when you worked on the Andromeda."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"What was it like?"  
  
"What was what like?"  
  
"Do you truly not understand or are you just avoiding the question?"  
  
"Avoiding the question." He said letting go of her. He rolled onto his back and crossed his arms over is chest.  
  
"Please?" She asked, lightly putting her chin on his arm and looking at him with puppy dog eyes.  
  
"No!" He yelled, quickly getting out of bed and angrily getting dressed.  
  
"But........." Reily sat up alarmed by his reaction.  
  
"I said no, can't you take a hint!"  
  
"I........."  
  
"Reily I don't want to talk about it!"  
  
"If I'd have know it would have upset you this much then I wouldn't have brought it up." Reily told him, trying to stay calm.  
  
"Yah know what!?! Good riddance to 'em! They didn't even come to our wedding!"  
  
"Maybe they didn't get your message."  
  
"Like Hell!"  
  
"Seamus Zelazny Harper, don't you dare be mad at them! If you're mad at anyone it should be me!" She said getting out of bed, wrapping a sheet around herself, and walking over to the chair on the other side of the room (away from Harper), "I'm sorry. I dint' mean to make you angry." She sat and curled up in the chair. Harper practically melted as he looked at the love of his life sitting in a chair, upset, and curled into a little ball.  
  
"I'm sorry babe." He said, his voice soft and sad. He walked over and knelt down in front of her. "I didn't mean to yell at you. It's just, I guess, I figured that they didn't care. I really didn't mean to yell at you." He explained, gently laying a hand on her knee.  
  
"I know, and I probably shouldn't have gotten to upset. It's just........." Reily was cut off by a beeping noise, indicating that they had just received a message. "Are you gonna answer it or should I?"  
  
"I'll get it later. You were saying?"  
  
"I forgot."  
  
Harper laughed lightly before standing up, "I love you so much." He pulled Reily up too, the sheet forgotten in the chair.  
  
"I love you too. Now, will you get that because the sound is driving me nuts."  
  
"Sure. You can get back in bed now, 'cause I can tell you're freezing." He kissed her before walking over to the desk to answer the message.  
  
"Who would've thought that on a planet to warm I could be so cold?" She said while crawling back into bed.  
  
"Well, it's usually warm if your wearing clothes."  
  
"You have a point." She replied settling into the covers.  
  
"Oh my God." He said after reading the message.  
  
"What? Who's it from?" She asked worried.  
  
"It's from the Andromeda." He walked over and sat next to her on the bed.  
  
"Well, what's it say?"  
  
"That they just got my message, and that they're gonna be here in about.........twenty minutes." He explained looking over at her because he knew she would absolutely nuts.  
  
"Twenty minutes?" She asked.  
  
"Yeah, just don't lock the door. I'm gonna have to get in there." He said smiling at her. She nodded quickly before getting up and dashing into the bathroom. Almost immediately after the door was closed he heard the shower start. He smiled to himself as he stood and made the bed. Reily would thank him later. Finishing the bed he went into the bathroom.  
  
"Hey Hun." Reily said when she heard him come in.  
  
"Hey babe." He said taking off his shirt and going over to the sink.  
  
"What cha doing?"  
  
"Shaving. Is that a crime?"  
  
"No, I was just trying to make conversation."  
  
"I know. What are you doing? For the sake of conversation."  
  
"Making out with my lesbian lover."  
  
"Mind if I join you?"  
  
"You are such a nerd." She said turning off the shower.  
  
"Yeah, but you know you love me." He said handing her a towel.  
  
"My fatal flaw." She replied taking the towel from him. He smiled and went back to the mirror. Just as he finished shaving he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist and a pair of supple lips plant warm kisses on his shoulders.  
  
"Not now! Reily's here!" He hissed.  
  
"Loser." She said with a small laugh before lightly hitting him on the butt and walking out of the room.  
  
"Hey no spanking!" He said coming up behind her and giving her jumper cables.  
  
"You know I hate it when you do that." She turned around and playfully hit him.  
  
"I know," He kissed her before going over and pulling out something to wear.  
  
"Okay, the red one or the blue one?" She asked, turning to him and holding up a dark blue silk blouse and a dark red silk blouse.  
  
"Uh, the red one. It brings out your eyes."  
  
"My eyes are blue."  
  
"I know."  
  
"Maybe it's because your wearing your red one and you wanted us to match."  
  
He looked down at the red silk dress shirt he was buttoning up and smiled, "maybe." He looked up and saw Reily buttoning up her own shirt.  
  
"I think it's sweet." She said pulling on a black mini-skirt. She grabbed a pair of dress shoes, sat on the bed, and began putting them on.  
  
"Yah know, they say that it's a sign that couples have been together too long when they start dressing alike." He said sitting next to her with socks and shoes of his own. She finished putting her shoes on and went into the bathroom to style her hair.  
  
"Does that mean you want a divorce?" She called playfully.  
  
"Not in a million years would I divorce you." He called back sincerely.  
  
"What if it get to the point where you start wearing my skirts?" She asked smiling at the vision on him in a skirt.  
  
"Well," He said putting his foot down after tying his shoe, "Then you're gonna have a cross-dressing, gay, husband."  
  
"Oh, yeah, that'd be real attractive." She said coming out of the bathroom and walking out the door.  
  
"Yeah, I know, dead sexy." He said following her out. He caught up with her quickly and they walked to the living room hand in hand. They sat on couch in front of the fireplace and just watched the flames for a while.  
  
"So, what do you want?" Reily asked after a few minutes.  
  
"Huh? What? I didn't say anything." He asked confused.  
  
"No. For kids. What do you want? A boy or a girl?"  
  
"Oh, uh, it doesn't matter."  
  
"Yes it does, I know you better than that."  
  
"Okay, maybe a little, but mostly any kids will make me happy." Harper explained with a smile.  
  
Reily sighed aggravated, "Yes, but if you had a choice."  
  
"Honestly, I want a boy." He said looking her in the eye.  
  
"Really?" She asked smiling.  
  
"Yeah. What do you want?" He asked, pulling her closer to him.  
  
"I want a boy and a girl."  
  
"You didn't tell me I could choose more than one!"  
  
"You didn't ask."  
  
"So, how many do you want?"  
  
"Two or three. You?"  
  
"Three or four."  
  
"Four?"  
  
"Yeah. I mean it's not like I'm asking for eight, although........."  
  
"Not if we had to repopulate the planet." She snapped.  
  
"So, you're saying that if we were the last two people on the planet, you wouldn't give me eight kids."  
  
"It's a big universe."  
  
"What if we were the last two people in the universe?"  
  
"Then your friend Tyr would he haunting you because you survived to see the universe die and he didn't."  
  
"Come on Reily."  
  
"Okay, maybe if I was the last woman in the universe, then I would consider it."  
  
"So, you just want to be able to sleep with a bunch of guys that aren't me."  
  
"No, then there isn't this whole incest thing."  
  
"Good point." Harper said just before the doorbell rang.  
  
"I'll get it." Reily said getting up and walking to the door. 


	2. Chatper Two

"Are you sure this is it?" Beka asked Rommie. They were standing on the porch on a large white house with blue trimming.  
  
"Yes, Beka, I'm sure" The android replied. Just then, the door opened to reveal a young woman.  
  
Dylan decided to be the first to speak, "Hi. We're looking for Seamus........."  
  
"Harper." Reily finished for him, "Come on in." She motioned them to enter. They came inside and Reily closed the door behind them.  
  
"You must be Reily." Trance observed. (A/N. She's gold now. She was purple when Harper left.........I just don't know why she turned gold.)  
  
"Yeah. Uh, Shay's in here." She said leading them into the living room. Harper stood when he heard them come in and a smile lit his face when he saw them.  
  
"Hi guys." He said breaking the silence.  
  
"Oh, Harper." Trance squealed, running up and giving him a hug.  
  
"Trance?" He asked, pulling her away from him so he could look at her. He folded his arms and stroked his chin thoughtfully, while looking her up and down. "Something's different, I just can't put my finger on it. New shoes?" Trance giggled and hugged him again. "You look great Trance. Different, but great." He pulled away from her and held her shoulders, "You always looked good in gold." He kissed her cheek as he pulled her into another hug.  
  
"I missed you." She told him quietly.  
  
"I missed you too." He said, rubbing her back. "I think we should let someone else have a turn. Besides, I think Reily's getting a little jealous." He said stealing a glance at his wife. Trance reluctantly released him as Reily walked over next to him. He kissed her head as he pulled her into his arms.  
  
"I wasn't jealous." She mumbled into his shoulder as she hugged him.  
  
"Sure you weren't." He said as she pulled away from him.  
  
"Why don't you make yourselves comfortable. I have a few things to do in the kitchen. Uh, do you guys want anything?" Roily asked trying to be a good hostess.  
  
"I'll have a beer." Harper said. "Guys?"  
  
"I'll have a juice." Trance said.  
  
"Okay, what kind?" Reily asked sweetly.  
  
"Apple if you've got it."  
  
"Alright. Anyone else?" Reily asked.  
  
"Boss, you want a sparky?" Harper asked Beka.  
  
"Sure." She replied.  
  
"Dylan? Tyr?" Harper asked, checking if anyone else wanted anything.  
  
"Just water." Dylan replied.  
  
"Nothing." Tyr said in a very Tyr like way.  
  
"Okay. So, water, apple juice, a sparky, and a beer. DO you want anything? I'm sorry I don't know your name." Reily directed her question at Rommie.  
  
"Nothing, thank you." The android replied.  
  
"Okay." Roily said before leaving and going into the kitchen.  
  
"Uh, sit down, make yourselves comfortable." Harper said motioning them to sit. They all took seats; Harper sat on the end of the couch next to Rommie.  
  
"Harper, you look good." Rommie observed.  
  
"Thanks." He replied smiling at her.  
  
"Yeah, you two dress alike often?" Beka said jokingly, just as Reily came back in, expertly carrying all of the drinks. She set them on the table by Harper and handed them out. After doing so, she made a hasty exit.  
  
"So, boss, how does it feel?" Harper asked Dylan.  
  
"How does what feel, Mr. Harper?"  
  
"Come on Dylan, you restored the Systems Commonwealth. You're a hero."  
  
"It wasn't the same without you Harper." He replied.  
  
"Boy, where's your mate?" Tyr asked pointedly.  
  
"She's not in here?" Harper asked.  
  
"No." They all replied in unison, after looking around.  
  
"Uh, could you guys help me find her?" Harper asked pleadingly.  
  
"Of course we will Harper." Trance told him. They all spread out and searched.  
  
"Reily?" Harper called, searching their bedroom. "Okay, she couldn't have just disappeared." He said sitting on the bed. "Now, if I was the wife of an amazingly sexy super genius, where would I hide?" He mused.  
  
"Harper?" Rommie called.  
  
"Rommie? Where are you?" He asked startled.  
  
"The Com link, Harper." She replied.  
  
"Oh. Yeah, I forgot it was there." He realized.  
  
"Just come down here, please?"  
  
"I'm coming." He said getting up and going down stairs. He found Rommie waiting patiently outside Reily's office.  
  
"She's in here." She told him then let to join the others, who had gathered in the living room.  
  
"Reily?" He called, knocking lightly on the door.  
  
"No!" She yelled back, and promptly a shoe hit the door.  
  
"What'd I do? It's like one minute we're talking about kids and the next you're mad at me."  
  
"I'm not mad.........I'm upset. There's a difference!"  
  
"Can I come in?"  
  
"No. Go away."  
  
"Now it's my turn to say no."  
  
"Shay........."  
  
"I just want to talk."  
  
"We are talking."  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Fine." She caved. He opened the door and found Reily sitting at her desk with her hack to him. "What?" She asked when she heard the door close behind him  
  
"Will you look at me, please?" He asked coming up behind her.  
  
"No."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because I know if I look at you, you'll be all cute and adorable and I'll forget why I'm upset."  
  
"Reily, please turn around?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Okay. Why are you upset?" He knelt down beside her, but she refused to look at him.  
  
"Your friends hate me." A few tears escaped her closed eyes.  
  
"They don't hate you." He wiped a few tears off her cheek.  
  
"Yes, they do, but that's not why I'm upset." She looked at him, tears streaming down her cheeks.  
  
"Then why?" He gently brushed the tears away.  
  
"Because, they want you back, they you'll leave, and I'll be all alone again." She slid down onto the floor and hugged him like her was her only lifeline. "I love you so very much and I want you to know that whatever you decide is fine with me and I hope you're really happy." She confessed sincerely, her tears wetting his shoulder.  
  
After a few minutes, he gently pulled her away from him and looked deep into her eyes. "Baby, how could you possibly think that I would ever leave you? I love you; I'd give my life to protect you. You're my wife, the woman I pledge my life to," He placed her hands on his chest and pulled her close, "Without you, my heart wouldn't beat and my lungs wouldn't draw breath. I don't' know how I would live if I went to bed every night not telling you I love you, I don't know what I would do if I didn't wake up to your beautiful face, and I don't know how I would survive if you weren't beside me, pushing me to be better than I am."  
  
"Now you're just quoting your wedding vows." She smiled, remembering.  
  
"Would you prefer I quote yours?" He rested his forehead against hers.  
  
"No, that's alright. Yours are so much better. Just one question though."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why did you quote them?"  
  
"Because I mean it. I meant it then and I still mean it today."  
  
"You're so cute." She kissed him softly and snuggled into his embrace.  
  
"I know." He hugged her tightly and kissed her shoulder. "And if they do ask me to come back then WE will discuss it and WE will decide. Okay?"  
  
"Okay." She mumbled into his shoulder. 


End file.
